Ever since I was young, I’ve had a growing fascination with the Renaissance Era. This period has folklore based around fairies, witches, pirates, mermaids, and more. Now imagine all of this being depicted in one place and watching childhood fantasies coming to life. The Renaissance Era is set between 14-17 century Europe but The Renaissance Festival takes place in Shakopee, Minnesota every weekend from Aug 19 to Oct 1.
When you first walk into the parks you are met with many people dressed up in costumes. Most people choose to dress up but you don’t have to. My friend and I choose to dress as pirates, but you will see many unique costumes of mystical beings. People do not hold back on their outfits, to say the least, some putting hundreds to thousands of dollars into their outfits to make the experience just that much more authentic. The only downside I did find to everyone being dressed up was that it made it hard to find workers if you needed help.
The Renaissance Festival costs around 30 dollars for adults but ordering ahead of time does lower the cost. But I assure you the 30 dollars is well worth it as it gets you into all the shows playing, the shopping and food centers (these items do cost additional money but there are packages you can buy), themed trails, and so much more.
Each shop tends to have a theme of its own and you can buy many different items, from crystals to real swords, and even dresses and crowns: you are sure to find something. Even if you can’t find a keepsake, try some unique time-period food. Do not make the same mistake as me and forget cash. They do have ATMs but they charge you to use them. Some places do expect cards but not all.
I saw multiple shows. My favorites were the Washing Wenches which is sure to get a laugh out of you. There was jousting which was a little confusing but still a must watch. As for the trial, I can not pick between the fairy trial and the mermaid. The mermaid one was shorter but was colorful and had “actual” mermaids, whereas the fairy one had many references to folklore surrounding fairies.
My experience at The Renaissance Festival was magical besides going on one of the hottest days of the year. If you have the chance, The Renaissance Festival is a unique experience that I would recommend to everyone.
